Drawing a parallel between ancient wisdom and new-age innovations, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that exchange of ideas among entrepreneurs would lay the foundation stone of a new-age Ramayan of creativity and progress as it did when the Hindu epic was authored by sage Valmiki in consultations with Narada.Addressing a conclave of unicorns in Agra, the CM, pointing to the “success” of the ‘Khoya-Paya’ initiative at the Maha Kumbh, which according to him helped reunite 28,000 missing individuals with their families through a digital tracking system, claimed that faith, perseverance and technology can work together to create great outcomes.“Before composing Ramayan, Valmiki had a shloka in mind but sought guidance from Narad ji, who advised him to centre it around Lord Shri Ram. This exchange of ideas led to the creation of the epic. Similarly, discussions among entrepreneurs would serve as the foundation stone for a new-age Ramayan of innovation and progress,” he added.About his government’s target to achieve 1-trillion dollar economy mark, Adityanath asserted that Uttar Pradesh is not only a land of agriculture but also of Sanatan knowledge and traditions.Citing an example of five women from Bundelkhand who approached him in 2019 seeking jobs, the Chief Minister said upon learning they had only studied till class 5, the state government took the initiative to train them and establish a milk producers’ network.“Today, their venture boasts of a Rs 1,500 crore turnover and supports 42,000 women. Agra’s milk producers are achieving even greater success,” he claimed.Maintaining that India’s start-up ecosystem has gained global recognition, with numerous unicorns emerging across various sectors, the Chief Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying “Uttar Pradesh, too, has made significant strides, now home to over 14,000 startups — of which women entrepreneurs lead 7,000.”Story continues below this ad“I can call it the Unicorn Maha Kumbh of the startup world,” he said.He also urged the youth of the state to become job creators, claiming the state has transformed from having a lack of opportunities to a thriving startup hub. He praised young innovators for driving growth, emphasising that those ahead in technology now lead in startups.Later in day, addressing sadhus at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, the CM said 62 crore devotees have come to the religious event so far and half of the about 120 crore Sanatan Dharma followers in the world have already taken the holy dip at the Sangam.The gathering of such a large number of people during a certain period is in itself “one of the rarest events of the century”, he said.“Which religion and sect in the world has such a large number of devotees coming and expressing their faith within a specific time-frame? This (Kumbh) has become a medium for the followers of Sanatan Dharma to express their gratitude towards their seers, the ‘rishi’ tradition of India, their ‘dev’ tradition and their festivals and celebrations,” he said in the presence of Kamkoti Peethadheeswar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati Maharaj.Story continues below this adSri Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth, he said, has always been at the forefront of promoting Sanatan Dharma. “The wide influence of this Peeth across the country strengthens Sanatan Dharma. Whenever Sanatan Dharma has faced any crisis, this Peeth has given its full contribution to protecting the Sanatan Dharma by standing firmly in front of the crisis,” he added.— with PTI inputs© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd